Tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul to make your auto insurance payment? You have the same problem as the majority of other consumers in Texas.
A recent auto insurance study revealed that nearly 70% of consumers have been with the same company for four years or more, and 38% of customers have never compared quotes from other companies. U.S. consumers can cut their rates by approximately $859 a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just don’t understand the large savings they would see if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one. Consumers have so many auto insurance companies to pick from, and though it is a good thing to have a choice, lots of choices makes it harder to locate the cheapest rates for Hummer H3 insurance in Houston.
Components of Your Hummer H3 Insurance Premiums
The best way to find cheaper insurance is to take a look at the different types of things that play a part in calculating your premiums. If you have a feel for what determines base rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get better insurance rates. Many things are considered when quoting car insurance. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving history, but other criteria are less apparent such as your credit history and annual miles driven.
Are males or females drivers cheaper? – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown that females take fewer risks when driving. The data does not necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Males and females cause auto accidents in similar percentages, but men have accidents that have higher claims. Not only that, but men also get higher numbers of serious violations like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and therefore have the most expensive insurance rates.
Car plus home equals more savings – Most larger insurance companies provide better rates to people who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. The amount of the discounts can be five, ten or even twenty percent. Even with this discount, it’s in your best interest to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal. Drivers may still find better rates by splitting coverages up.
The higher your credit history the lower your premiums – A driver’s credit rating is a big factor in calculating your insurance rates. Therefore, if your credit rating could use some work, you could be paying less to insure your Hummer H3 by spending a little time repairing your credit. Insureds with high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers with lower ratings.
Insurance premiums and vehicle performance – The performance of the car or truck you own makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. Due to the fact that the Hummer H3 falls in the standard SUV class, rates will be slightly more than the average rate where you live in Houston. Small economy passenger vehicles receive the most favorable rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
Insurance lapses lead to higher premiums – Driving any period of time without insurance is a misdemeanor and you may have a hard time finding new coverage because you let your coverage have a gap. And not only will your rates increase, not being able to provide proof of insurance may earn you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
Rates increase with policy add-ons – There are quite a few add-on coverages that may not really be needed when buying insurance. Insurance for personal injury protection, better glass coverage, and extra equipment coverage could be just wasting money. They may seem like a good idea initially, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
Drive less and pay lower prices – The higher the miles on your Hummer annually the more it will cost to insure it. A lot of insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Vehicles that have low annual miles can be on a lower rate level than vehicles that have high annual mileage. It’s a smart idea to ensure your insurance coverage correctly shows the right rating data. Having an incorrect usage rating on your H3 may be costing you higher rates.
Bump up deductibles to lower rates – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, protects your Hummer from damage. A few examples of covered claims would be a broken side mirror, vandalism, and windstorm damage. Your deductibles define the amount the insured will be required to pay before your insurance pays a claim. The larger the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Compare free Houston Hummer H3 insurance quotes
The companies shown below have been selected to offer free rate quotes in Houston, TX. If multiple companies are shown, it’s highly recommended you compare several of them to find the most affordable auto insurance rates.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3 Adventure Package 4WD | $410 | $858 | $514 | $30 | $154 | $1,966 | $164 |
H3 4WD | $176 | $360 | $400 | $24 | $120 | $1,080 | $90 |
H3 Luxury Package 4WD | $378 | $584 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,642 | $137 |
H3 Alpha 4WD | $360 | $572 | $388 | $24 | $116 | $1,460 | $122 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Price data assumes married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Estimates do not factor in zip code location which can raise or lower premium rates considerably.
Higher deductibles save money
The information below illustrates how choosing a deductible and can impact Hummer H3 premium costs for different insured age categories. The premium estimates are based on a single male driver, full coverage, and no discounts are applied.
Full coverage rates vs. liability-only in Houston
The chart below shows the comparison of Hummer H3 premium costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The premiums are based on no claims, a clean driving record, $500 deductibles, single female driver, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Deciding between full coverage and liability only
There isn’t a steadfast formula of when to drop full coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s assume your Hummer H3 book value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company would pay you is $4,000 after the deductible is paid. If it’s costing you more than $400 annually to have full coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
There are some cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not financially feasible. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.
Driving violations and accidents
The diagram below illustrates how violations and accident claims can drive up Hummer H3 insurance prices for each different age category. The premiums are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.
Misconceptions in auto insurance advertisements
Texas drivers can’t ignore all the ads that claim the best prices by State Farm and Allstate. They all seem to convey the message about savings just by moving your auto insurance policy to them.
How do they all charge you a lower premium? You have to listen carefully.
Insurance providers have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that will not have excessive claims. For instance, a preferred risk might be described as a female over age 40, owns their home, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Anybody that matches those criteria will get a cheap rate quote in Houston and have a good chance to save if they switch.
Potential customers who cannot meet the “perfect” profile will be charged a more expensive rate which leads to the customer buying from a different company. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” can save as much as they claim. That’s why insurance companies can confidently claim big savings. Because of this risk profiling, you really need to do a rate comparison at every renewal. It is impossible to predict which company will provide the lowest Hummer H3 insurance in Houston.
Buying the right H3 insurance in Texas is an important decision
Despite the high cost, paying for car insurance serves an important purpose.
- Almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to buy a specific level of liability coverage if you want to drive legally. In Texas these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your vehicle has a lien holder, almost every bank will require you to have comprehensive coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totalled. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank will be required to insure your Hummer for a much higher rate and force you to reimburse them a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Car insurance preserves both your assets and your Hummer. It will also provide coverage for most medical and hospital costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit in the event you are sued. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of insuring your car outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is currently overpaying as much as $750 every year so you should quote and compare rates at every renewal to ensure rates are inline.
Cheaper Houston insurance quotes with discounts
Companies don’t always list all discounts very clearly, so the below list has some of the best known as well as some of the hidden discounts you could be receiving when you buy Houston car insurance online.
- Bundle and Save – If you can combine your auto and home policy and insure them both with the same insurance company you may earn at least 10% off all policies.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off the medical payments premium.
- College Student Discount – Kids who live away from home at college and don’t have a car could qualify for this discount.
- Drivers Education – Cut your cost by having your teen driver take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
- Own a Home – Simply owning a home can get you a discount because owning a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
- First Accident Forgiveness – Not really a discount, but some companies like Progressive, State Farm and GEICO allow you one accident without raising rates as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
- Senior Citizen Discount – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens could receive reduced rates.
A quick disclaimer, many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Even though it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
To see providers that offer many of these discounts in Houston, click here to view.
When to talk to an insurance agency
A small number of people would prefer to have an agent’s advice and often times that is recommended Insurance agents can help you build your policy and give you someone to call. The biggest benefit of comparing auto insurance online is that you can obtain the best rates but also keep your business local.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your information is sent to local insurance agents in Houston who can give free rate quotes to get your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to visit any agencies since rate quotes are delivered immediately to you. If for some reason you want to quote rates from a specific company, just find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding a good insurer needs to be determined by more than just a cheap quote. You should also get answers to these questions.
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Is the agent properly licensed in Texas?
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- Is every driver in your family covered?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- Can glass claims be handled at your home?
Do I just need basic coverages?
Always keep in mind that when comparing proper insurance coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance should reflect that
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether you will benefit from professional help.
- What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in Texas?
- Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
- What are the liability requirements in my state?
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- Should I rate my vehicle as business use?
- When should I buy a commercial auto policy?
- Is pleasure use cheaper than using my Hummer H3 to commute?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.
More effort can pay off
Low-cost Hummer H3 insurance in Houston is possible online and with local Houston insurance agents, so you need to shop Houston car insurance with both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies may not have rate quotes online and these smaller providers sell through local independent agents.
We just covered a lot of tips how to shop for Hummer H3 insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the higher your chance of finding affordable Hummer H3 insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates are with the smaller companies. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
Much more information about auto insurance in Texas is located below:
- Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- How Much is Car Insurance for Good Drivers in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for Used Cars in Houston? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Good Students in Houston? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Jeep Wrangler in Houston? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Seniors in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for 18 Year Olds in Houston? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers with a DUI in Houston? (FAQ)
- Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
- Credit and Insurance Scores (Insurance Information Institute)
- What are my Rights when Filing a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)